1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to thickness planers, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for changing blades into and out of thickness planers.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a thickness planer is used to finish a piece of lumber, i.e., to uniformly reduce the thickness of the lumber while achieving a smooth, flat surface. The basic components of a typical thickness planer are a table, a cutter head, infeed and outfeed rollers, and a motor. The table levels and supports the workpiece as the workpiece is fed into the planer and is passed under the rapidly rotating cutter head. The cutter head includes two or more blades mounted within its cylindrical head which cut away thin slivers of wood as the workpiece is passed beneath it.
The powered infeed and outfeed rollers grip and support the workpiece as they advance and pull the workpiece through the cutter head. These rollers are typically spring mounted so that the pressure exerted by the rollers on the workpiece can be adjusted to ensure the rollers properly engage and guide the workpiece through the planer. The motor drives the cutter head and the powered rollers.
Typical thickness planers have only one cutter head located above the planer table. Thus, both sides of the board must be passed through the planer to attain the desired finished surface. Additionally, several passes through the planer may be required to remove the desired amount of wood from the workpiece. The depth of cut adjustments is made by lowering the cutter head towards the workpiece.
The blades that are used for thickness planers can be single-sided, but are quite often double-sided and sharp on both edges. Thus, installing or removing these blades into or out of the cutter head can be difficult and frustrating to the operator whose fingers and hands can easily be harmed, especially in light of the tight workspace available for changing the blades.
Currently, standard hand tools, e.g., screwdrivers or long-nosed pliers, are being used to pry blades loose or to remove the blades from the cutter head. However, since these tools are not specifically designed to remove these types of blades, the use of such tools could be clumsy and awkward. Similarly, other standard tools, such as hammers and handles of screwdrivers, are being used to press the edges of the blades while seating them into the cutter blade. As a result of such treatment, the blades would become dull, nicked, or damaged.
Previous attempts have been made with other removal tool design to provide a blade removal tool that consists of a flat strip composite magnet. However, the composite magnet that has been used has insufficient strength to hold the blade during insertion. Moreover, this tool is ineffective in removing a blade when the blade is imbedded in sawdust and sap resulting from planing the wood.
The present invention addresses the shortcomings associated with the prior art.
In an aspect of the invention, an apparatus and method are provided for a blade tool that is useful for removing and installing blades into and out of a cutter head which is rotatably mounted in a thickness planer. The blade tool consists of a handle and a hook portion. This hook portion is designed to pull or pry blades away from the cutter head when removing the blades from the cutter head.
In another aspect of the invention, the hook portion defines a notch, which has a width sufficient to hold a portion of the blade when prying the blade away from the cutter head. The notch may be rectangularly shaped.
In a further aspect of the invention, the hook portion defines an angularly-shaped hook which works in conjunction with the notches on the end of the blade.
In a still further aspect of the invention, the handle of the blade tool has a thickness that is wider than the thickness of the hook portion.
In another aspect of the invention, the handle of the blade tool defines a curved portion that is designed to press against the edge of the blade to fully seat it in the proper location when installing the blade into the cutter head.
Yet, in another aspect of the invention, the blade tool further comprises a magnet coupled inside a cavity at the end of the handle. The magnet is designed to extract the blade away from the cutter head once it has been loosened by the hook portion.
The blade tool in accordance with the present invention has many advantages. he blade tool in accordance with the present invention gives a thickness planer operator the ability to install and remove blades into and out of the cutter head without having to use his or her hand and fingers, which significantly reduces the possibility of injury to the hands and fingers.
Another advantage of the blade tool is its multi-purposed concept in which the blade tool enables the operator to use the same tool for seating the blade during installation or loosening and extracting the blade during removal. In this manner, he would only have to keep one tool for blade changes.
Also, various features of the blade tool provide the operator more control over the blade when removing or installing the blade into or out of the cutter head.